Money Tigers was the Japanese business programme that inspired the British television series Dragons' Den.
The format originated in Japan, where entrepreneurs presented business proposals to wealthy potential investors. The British version adapted that premise for a UK audience and retained the central tension: founders must defend their valuations and business plans while investors decide whether the opportunity merits an offer.
Money Tigers is often mixed up with Shark Tank because both programmes descend from the same broad pitch-and-investment concept. Shark Tank is the title used for the United States adaptation, while Dragons' Den is the British title and has its own panel history.
The international success of the format led to versions in numerous territories. Despite local differences in investors, currency, and production, the Japanese origin explains why the British series belongs to a wider global television franchise.