The BBC programme Dragons' Den was inspired by the Japanese business reality show Money Tigers.
Money Tigers, known in Japan as Money no Tora, established the format in which entrepreneurs present business ideas to wealthy investors and seek funding in exchange for equity. The concept was later adapted for television audiences in several countries.
The British version premiered in 2005 and uses the word “Dragons” for its investors. International viewers may more commonly know the closely related American adaptation, Shark Tank, but Shark Tank is not the direct source of the British programme’s format.
The same broad format has therefore produced different titles and investor nicknames around the world. The BBC series became one of the best-known British television programmes about entrepreneurship and venture capital.