Shark Tank is the United States adaptation of the Dragon's Den business-pitch format.
The American programme places entrepreneurs before a panel of wealthy investors, who consider offers of money in exchange for an ownership share in a company. Its title changes the animal metaphor from dragons to sharks, but the central pitch-and-negotiation structure is closely related.
Shark Tank premiered in the United States in 2009. The programme became one of the best-known American versions of the international format and developed its own panel, presentation style and business vocabulary.
Dragon's Den itself has also been adapted in other countries, so Shark Tank is not simply another name for the British series. It is the American version, produced for a separate television market and featuring American entrepreneurs and investors.