The Japanese format later adapted as Dragon's Den in the United Kingdom was called Money Tigers.
The format placed entrepreneurs before a group of financially successful investors. Each contestant had to explain a proposal, request a specific sum, and offer equity or another negotiated return. The investors could question the plan individually or decide to work together.
The British series preserved this basic structure while giving the investor panel its distinctive “Dragons” identity. This is why the programme belongs to a wider family of international business-pitch shows, even though local versions have different names and panels.
Money Tigers should not be confused with the American title Shark Tank. Shark Tank is another national adaptation of the same format family, whereas Money Tigers is the Japanese programme directly associated with the British version's origins.