The Japanese business-pitching programme Money Tigers inspired the UK television series Dragon's Den.
Money Tigers was a Japanese television format in which entrepreneurs sought investment from a panel of wealthy businesspeople. Its central structure—an entrepreneur making a concise pitch, followed by questions and negotiation—was adapted for broadcasters in several countries.
The British version retained the basic investment-room setup but gave it a distinctive identity. The investors became “dragons”, and entrepreneurs had to persuade them to exchange money for a stake in their companies. The format later spread internationally under names including Dragons' Den and Shark Tank.
Money Tigers is sometimes confused with the American Shark Tank because both programmes feature entrepreneur pitches and investor negotiations. Shark Tank is another adaptation in the same format family, whereas Money Tigers is the Japanese original associated with the British series.