The BBC series Dragons' Den was adapted from the Japanese programme Money Tigers.
Money Tigers was created by Nippon TV and established the format in which entrepreneurs present business ideas to wealthy investors. The investors decide whether to offer money in exchange for a stake in the company.
The format was later adapted in many countries, including the United States, where it became Shark Tank. That American title is a common mix-up, but Shark Tank is not the Japanese original. In the United Kingdom, the programme kept the Dragons' Den name, reflecting the intimidating panel of potential investors.
The British version began in 2005 and became one of the BBC's best-known factual entertainment formats. Although the dragons, presenters and channel branding differ between national versions, the central pitch-and-investment structure comes from Money Tigers.