Money Tigers was the Japanese television format adapted into the Dragons' Den franchise.
The Japanese programme, known as Money Tigers, placed entrepreneurs before wealthy investors who evaluated business proposals and negotiated possible funding. Its core idea became the template for the British series and for many later versions around the world.
The British adaptation changed the branding and presentation for its local audience, using the word “dragons” for the investors. The underlying structure remained recognisable: a contestant presents a business, requests money in return for equity, and answers questions about the company.
Shark Tank is a common mix-up, but it is the American adaptation and not the original Japanese format. The British and American shows share the same broad franchise ancestry, while Money Tigers is the specific source programme generally credited with creating the format that became Dragons' Den.