Money Tigers inspired the format of the UK series Dragon's Den.
The Japanese programme, known as Money Tigers, established the central idea of entrepreneurs presenting business proposals to wealthy investors in search of funding. The British version adapted that concept for BBC television and called its investors dragons rather than tigers.
The format subsequently travelled widely. International versions include Canada's Dragons' Den, Australia's Shark Tank and the United States programme Shark Tank. These adaptations retain the basic structure of a pitch followed by questions, negotiation and a possible investment, while changing panel names and local production details.
Dragon's Den is therefore not simply a documentary about British entrepreneurs; it is part of a global television format. The programme's familiar vocabulary—pitch, valuation, equity and offer—comes from the commercial situation created by the format, even though the exact deals and investor personalities differ from country to country.