The British programme Dragon's Den was adapted from the Japanese television format Money Tigers.
Money Tigers was a Japanese programme in which entrepreneurs presented business ideas to wealthy investors. The core structure was transferred into the British version: contestants enter a room, make a pitch, answer questions and negotiate over investment and ownership.
The British show is part of a wider international franchise. Different countries have used local titles and investor panels, but the central idea remains a formal pitch to potential backers. In the United States, the related format is known as Shark Tank, although that title is not the source of the British programme.
The word “dragons” refers to the investors in the British version. Other editions use different animal imagery or local branding, which is why international viewers may recognise the format under another name.