The Japanese television format that inspired BBC’s Dragons’ Den was Money Tigers.
The format was created in Japan before being adapted for other countries. Entrepreneurs present business ideas to a panel of wealthy investors and seek funding in exchange for a percentage of their company. The British version retained this central negotiation structure while giving the investors the nickname “dragons.”
The programme is part of an international franchise known in many countries as Shark Tank, although the British and Japanese titles are different. The Japanese title is often translated or romanised in more than one way, but “Money Tigers” is the English title associated with the original format.
This is distinct from the BBC programme’s own title and from Dragon’s Den adaptations in other countries, which may use different investor names and branding.