Dragons' Den is the British business programme in which entrepreneurs pitch for investment to a panel called the Dragons.
The BBC series adapts an international format built around face-to-face investment pitches. Entrepreneurs describe their product or service, explain their financial position and ask for money in exchange for equity. The panel then tests the proposal through questions about sales, costs, valuation and growth.
The word “dragons” is the programme’s distinctive British terminology for its investors. Other versions of the format use different names, most famously “sharks” in the United States. That difference can cause viewers to identify the wrong programme when recalling the format.
The Apprentice is also associated with business and entrepreneurs, but its structure centres on tasks and competition rather than founders seeking investment. Question Time is a political discussion programme, while MasterChef is a cooking competition.