Money Tigers was the Japanese television programme that originated the format later adapted as the British series Dragon's Den.
The Japanese format placed entrepreneurs before successful businesspeople and asked them to present a commercial proposal. The investors could decide whether to provide funding, generally in return for a stake in the entrepreneur's business. This pitch-and-negotiation structure became the foundation for a format sold to broadcasters in multiple countries.
The British programme is therefore not an entirely independent creation, although its title, cast, editing style and business culture are distinctly British. The American adaptation became known as Shark Tank, while several other countries retained translated versions of the dragon metaphor.
A common mix-up is to identify Shark Tank as the original. Shark Tank is a US adaptation, not the Japanese source programme. Money Tigers is the specific title associated with the format's origin.