Money Tigers was the Japanese business-investment format adapted into Britain's Dragon's Den.
Money Tigers was a Japanese television programme in which entrepreneurs sought funding from wealthy businesspeople. The format was later adapted for international audiences, with Dragon's Den becoming its British title and Shark Tank becoming the best-known American version.
The central structure stayed recognisable across countries: entrepreneurs present a business, state how much money they want and offer a percentage of their company. Investors then question the proposal and may make competing offers, negotiate or decline.
The Japanese origin explains why the format appears under different names around the world. The British title uses “dragons” as a metaphor for powerful investors, while the American adaptation uses “sharks.” These versions share a foundation but have different panels, presenters, episode structures and local business cultures.