Shark Tank is the American television adaptation of the British show Dragon's Den.
The format was created in Japan and adapted for Britain as Dragon's Den. In the United States, the same basic idea became Shark Tank, in which entrepreneurs present businesses to wealthy investors and negotiate for money in return for equity.
Shark Tank premiered on ABC in August 2009. Its investors are called Sharks rather than Dragons, reflecting the American title while preserving the central pitch-and-negotiation structure.
The programmes are related but not identical productions. They have different presenters, investors, editing styles and broadcast histories. A deal discussed on screen can also fail to complete later, so a televised agreement is not always the same as a finalised investment.