What is the United States version of the business-investment format adapted from Dragon's Den called?

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The United States version of the business-investment format adapted from Dragon's Den is called Shark Tank.

Shark Tank premiered on ABC in 2009 and features entrepreneurs pitching businesses or products to a panel of wealthy investors. Contestants seek investment in exchange for an ownership stake, making the central pitch-and-negotiation structure closely related to Dragon's Den.

The British programme itself was adapted from the Japanese format Money Tigers, known in Japan as Money no Tora. The format was then licensed internationally, producing different local titles and panels. In the United States, the investors are called Sharks rather than Dragons, which explains the American title.

Shark Tank and Dragon's Den are related formats, but they are not the same production. They have separate presenters, investors, broadcasters and episode histories. The term Shark Tank should therefore be used for the US edition, while Dragon's Den is the title used in the UK and several other countries.

Source: Wikipedia · fact-checked Sept. 2026

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