Money Tigers was the Japanese business programme that inspired the British television show Dragon's Den.
The Japanese format provided the basic structure later used by several international versions: entrepreneurs present business ideas to a group of established investors and seek financial backing in exchange for equity. The investors question the pitch and decide whether the proposed valuation and opportunity are attractive.
The British adaptation changed the terminology and presentation for its domestic audience. Its investors became “dragons”, while the American adaptation used “sharks”. Despite those branding differences, the essential drama comes from the same negotiation: the entrepreneur wants capital, while the investor wants a potentially valuable stake and a credible business plan.
Money Tigers is often confused with the titles of later adaptations because many versions use animal imagery. It is specifically the Japanese programme credited as the source format for Dragon's Den.