The British television series Dragon's Den was inspired by the Japanese business-investment show Money no Tora.
The format places entrepreneurs before wealthy investors, who question them about their businesses before deciding whether to offer money in exchange for equity. The British version retains that central negotiation structure while using its own dragons, presenters and production style.
Money no Tora is often translated as “Money Tigers,” referring to the investors rather than dragons. The British programme therefore belongs to the same international format family as Dragons' Den editions in many other countries, while Shark Tank is a separate American adaptation of the same broader investment-pitch concept.
The first British episode aired in 2005, beginning the long-running BBC series that made the word “dragon” familiar to British television audiences.