Dragon's Den was adapted from the Japanese television programme Money Tigers.
Money Tigers established the central format in which entrepreneurs seek funding by presenting their businesses to a group of potential investors. The British adaptation retained this basic structure while changing the title, production style and investor panel for a UK audience.
The format's appeal comes from its combination of practical business questions and high-stakes negotiation. Entrepreneurs must explain their product, sales, valuation and plans for growth, while investors decide whether the opportunity justifies the requested ownership share. A pitch can end with no offer, one offer or competing offers.
Money Tigers is sometimes confused with Shark Tank because both programmes use the same broad international format family. Shark Tank is the American adaptation, whereas Money Tigers is the Japanese source programme credited as the original. Dragon's Den therefore belongs to a worldwide franchise rather than being an entirely independent British invention.