The British series Dragon's Den was based on the Japanese television format Money Tigers.
Money Tigers established the central structure later recognised by audiences around the world: entrepreneurs stand before a panel of potential investors and ask for capital in exchange for a stake in their business. The investors can question the pitch, negotiate the valuation and decide whether to participate.
The British adaptation changed the presentation and terminology for its domestic audience. Its investors became “dragons,” a label that gives the programme its title and conveys the intimidating atmosphere of the pitch room. Other countries adopted related versions under different names, including Shark Tank in the United States.
People sometimes assume that Dragon's Den originated as a British programme because the BBC version is so prominent in the United Kingdom. It is actually part of a wider format lineage. The important distinction is that Money Tigers is the Japanese source format, while Dragon's Den is the name used by the British adaptation and several other international versions.