The Japanese television programme Money Tigers provided the format inspiration for the British show Dragon's Den.
Money Tigers was created by Nippon Television and established the central setup later used by Dragon's Den: entrepreneurs present business ideas to a panel of wealthy investors, who decide whether to offer money for equity. The format is known internationally through multiple adaptations.
The British production retained the emphasis on direct questioning, negotiation and valuation. Entrepreneurs must explain how much money they want, what proportion of their business they will give away and why the investment could produce a return.
A common mix-up is to identify Shark Tank as the original source. Shark Tank is the United States version of the format, while Money Tigers is the Japanese programme credited with originating the television concept.