Money Tigers was the Japanese television programme that directly preceded Britain's Dragon's Den format.
The British programme was adapted from Money Tigers, a Japanese business-investment show in which entrepreneurs presented proposals to wealthy potential backers. The central idea was retained for the BBC version: contestants seek funding and offer an ownership stake, while investors question the plan and decide whether to negotiate.
The Japanese title is often mixed up with the English-language title Dragon's Den or with Shark Tank, the American adaptation. Shark Tank is not the original Japanese programme; it is another national version of the same broad format. The British title changed the imagery from tigers to dragons while preserving the intimidating-investor concept.
This format relationship explains why similar pitch-and-equity programmes exist in many countries. Each national version changes its panel, presenter, currency, and business culture, but the basic structure remains an entrepreneur facing several potential investors.