The BBC series Dragons' Den was based on the Japanese business programme Money Tigers.
Money Tigers provided the format in which entrepreneurs present business ideas to a panel of wealthy investors. The investors question the founders about sales, costs, ownership and future plans before deciding whether to offer money. This basic structure was adapted for television markets around the world.
The British title uses “Dragons” for the investors, while the American adaptation is called Shark Tank. These programmes share the same underlying format but have different casts, branding and production histories. The Japanese source is therefore not Shark Tank, which was created later for the United States.
The UK version began broadcasting in 2005. Its early panel and British business setting gave the imported format a distinct identity, while retaining the central negotiation between founders and potential investors.