Dragons' Den
Dragons' Den is a reality television program format in which entrepreneurs pitch their business ideas to a panel of venture capitalists in the hope of securing investment finance from them. The program originated in 2001 in Japan, where it is known as The Tigers of Money (Japanese: マネーの虎, romanized: manē no tora), a pun on "The Tiger of Malaya" (マレーの虎, marē no tora), which was the nickname of WWII general Tomoyuki Yamashita.[1] The format was created and is owned by Nippon TV and is distributed by Sony Pictures Television.
Dragons' Den | |
---|---|
Created by | Nippon TV |
Original work | The Tigers of Money (マネーの虎, manē no tora) (Japan) |
Years | 2001–present |
Films and television | |
Television series | Dragons' Den (see franchises) |
Miscellaneous | |
Genre | Reality television |
First aired | 2001 |
Distributor | Sony Pictures Television |
Local versions of the show have been produced in over 40 countries, as well as one for the Arab world; in some countries, more than one version has been aired. The first version to air outside of Japan was the British programme Dragons' Den, which launched in 2005; in the several years afterward, most versions named themselves Dragons' Den or variations thereof, though some also used other animals in the title, such as lions. Since the launch of the U.S. version of the show, Shark Tank, in 2009, many versions have been named Shark Tank or variations thereof. In versions where the name of the show contains a creature's name, the investors are referred to by that name. The Israeli version of the show, HaKrishim ("The Sharks"), was the first to use the "shark" moniker, during its launch in 2006.
Format
The contestants are usually inventors, product designers, or service operators who have what they consider to be a viable and potentially very profitable business idea, but who lack funding and/or business acumen. They pitch their idea to five rich entrepreneurial businesspeople, who in most iterations of the show are referred to as "dragons", "tigers" (in the original Japanese show), "lions" or "sharks". Before the show, the contestants have named a specific amount of money that they wish to get along with a percentage in the business that the contestant is offering to sell to the investors. The rules stipulate that if they do not raise at least this amount from the dragons, they get nothing. In return, the contestant gives the dragons a percentage of the company's capital stock, which is the chief point of negotiation. The program does not show the entire pitch as scenes are selected and edited from the episode due to time constraints.
The dragons probe the idea further once the contestant has made the presentation. This will either reveal a sound business proposition resulting in an investment offer from one or more of the dragons in return for equity or a withdrawal from the transaction by either the contestant or all of the dragons. A rejection by the dragons is often given as "I'm out" which is usually triggered (in the investor's opinion) by the investor asking for a larger equity stake in the business than the contestant wants to give up, the contestant's valuation on the business being too high compared to its overall profits, the product not having any proprietary value, or the investor's belief that they cannot add value to the business. Sometimes the dragons identify troubling facts such as an embarrassing lack of preparation on the part of the contestant, the contestant's lack of business knowledge, their perceived margins, competitors, insufficient sales, or high manufacturing costs. Contestants often negotiate and barter with the investors. The deals agreed to on the program may or may not actually be carried through.
International table
: Currently airing
- An upcoming season
- Status unknown
- No longer airing)
Country | Local title | Network | Current Investors | Seasons |
---|---|---|---|---|
Afghanistan | Fikr wa Talash | TOLO | N/A | Season 1, 2008 Season 2, 2014 |
Arab World | Dragons' Den: Al Aareen | Future TV |
|
Season 1, 2007 |
Egypt | Dragons' Den is El Mashroua | Alnahar |
|
Season 1, 2013 |
Australia | Dragon's Den | Seven Network |
|
Season 1, 2005 |
Shark Tank | Network 10 | Current
Former
|
Season 1, 2015 Season 2, 2016 Season 3, 2017 Season 4, 2018 Season 5, 2023 | |
Austria | 2 Minuten 2 Millionen | Puls 4 |
|
Season 1, 2013 Season 2, 2014 Season 3, 2015 Season 4, 2016 Season 5, 2017 Season 6, 2018 Season 7, 2019 Season 8, 2020 Season 9, 2021 |
Belgium | Leeuwenkuil | VIER |
|
Season 1, 2018 |
Brazil | Shark Tank Brazil[pt] | Sony Brasil |
Current
Former
|
Season 1, 2016 Season 2, 2017 Season 3, 2018 Season 4, 2019 Season 5, 2020 Season 6, 2021 Season 7, 2022
Season 8, 2023 |
Canada | Dragon's Den | CBC |
Current
Former
|
Season 1, 2006 Season 2, 2007 Season 3, 2008 Season 4, 2009 Season 5, 2010 Season 6, 2011 Season 7, 2012 Season 8, 2013 Season 9, 2014 Season 10, 2015 Season 11, 2016 Season 12, 2017 Season 13, 2018 Season 14, 2019 Season 15, 2020 Season 16, 2021 Season 17, 2022 |
Dans l'œil du dragon(fr) | Ici Télé |
|
Season 1, 2012 Season 2, 2013 Season 3, 2014 Season 4, 2015 Season 5, 2016 Season 6, 2017 Season 7, 2018 Season 8, 2019 Season 9, 2020 Season 10, 2021 Season 11, 2022 | |
China | 中国合伙人 ("Chinese Partner") | Shenzhen Satellite TV |
|
Season 1, 2016 Season 2, 2017 |
Colombia | Shark Tank Colombia[es] | Canal Sony |
Current
Former
|
Season 1, 2018 Season 2, 2019 Season 3, 2020 Season 4, 2022 Season 5, 2023 |
Croatia | Dragon's Nest | HRT |
|
Season 1, 2007 (Cancelled in production) |
Czech Republic | Den D (The D-Day) | ČT1 |
|
Season 1, 2009 Season 2, 2010 Season 3, 2011
Season 4, 2012 |
Denmark | Løvens Hule | DR1 |
Current
Former
|
Season 1, 2015 Season 2, 2016
Season 3, 2017 Season 4, 2018 Season 5, 2019 Season 6, 2020 Season 7, 2021 Season 8, 2022 |
Finland | Leijonan kita (Lion's Mouth) | MTV3 |
|
Season 1, 2007 |
Leijonan luola (Lion's Den) | Nelonen |
|
Season 1, 2013
Season 2, 2018 | |
Leijonan luola Suomi (Lion's Den Finland) |
|
Season 1, 2023 | ||
France | Qui veut être mon associé? ("Who wants to be my business partner?") | M6 |
Current
Former
|
Season 1, 2020 Season 2, 2022 Seasom 3, 2023 |
Germany | Die Höhle der Löwen ("The Lions' Den") | VOX |
Current
Former
|
Season 1, 2014 Season 2, 2015 Season 3, 2016 Season 4, 2017 Season 5, 2018 Season 6, 2019 Season 7, 2020 Season 8, 2020 Season 9, 2021 Season 10, 2021 Season 11, 2022 Season 12, 2022 Season 13, 2023 |
Greece | Dragons' Den | ANT1 |
|
Season 1, 2023 |
Hungary | Cápák között ("Among Sharks")[hu] | RTL |
Current
Former
|
Season 1, 2019 Season 2, 2020 Season 3, 2021 Season 4, 2022 Season 5, 2023
Season 6, 2023 |
India | Shark Tank India | SET |
Current
Former
|
Season 1, 2021 Season 2, 2023 |
Ireland | Dragons' Den | RTE One |
|
Season 1, 2009 Season 2, 2010 Season 3, 2011 Season 4, 2012 Season 5, 2013 Season 6, 2014 Season 7, 2015 Season 8, 2017 |
Israel | Hakrishim ("The Sharks")[he] | Channel 10 (1–2)
Keshet 12 (3–5) |
|
Season 1, 2006 Season 2, 2007 Season 3, 2018 Season 4, 2020 Season 5, 2022 |
Italy | Shark Tank Italia[it] | Italia 1 |
|
Season 1, 2015 |
Japan | Manē no Tora ("Money Tigers") | Nippon TV | N/A | Season 1, 2001 Season 2, 2002 Season 3, 2003 Season 4, 2004 |
Kenya | Lion's Den | NTV |
|
Season 1, 2016 |
Mexico | Shark Tank Mexico[es] | CurrentFormer
Former
|
Season 1, 2016 Season 2, 2017 Season 3, 2018 Season 4, 2019 Season 5, 2020 Season 6, 2021 Season 7, 2022 Season 8, 2023 | |
Nepal | Shark Tank Nepal | Himalaya Television HD | TBA | TBA |
Netherlands | Dragon's Den | Nederland 3 (1-2)
NPO 1 (3-4) Viaplay (5-) |
Current
Former
|
Season 1, 2007 Season 2, 2008 Season 3, 2020 Season 4, 2021 Season 5, 2022 |
New Zealand | Dragon's Den New Zealand | TV One |
|
Season 1, 2006 |
Nigeria | Dragons' Den | AIT Network |
|
Season 1, 2008 |
Pakistan | Dragons' Den | Neo News |
|
Season 1, 2017 |
Poland | Dragons' Den – jak zostać milionerem ("How to be a millionaire") | TV4 |
|
Season 1, 2011 Season 2, 2012 Season 3, 2012 |
Portugal | Shark Tankñ[pt] | SIC |
|
Season 1, 2015
Season 2, 2016 |
Romania | Arena Leilor ("Lions' Arena") | N/A |
|
Season 1, 2007 Season 2, 2008 Season 3, 2009 Season 4, 2010 Season 5, 2011 Season 6, 2012 Season 7, 2013 |
Imperiul Leilor ("Lions' Empire") | N/A |
|
Season 1, 2019 Season 2, 2020 Season 3, 2021 | |
Russia | Kapital | TNT |
|
Season 1, 2006 |
Saudi Arabia | Dragons' Den | STV1 |
|
Season 1, 2011 |
Slovakia | Jama Levova ("The Lion Pit") | TV Markiza |
|
Season 1, 2023 |
Slovenia | Dober posel | Planet TV |
|
Season 1, 2012 |
South Africa | Dragons' Den | Mzansi Magic |
|
Season 1, 2014 Season 2, 2015 |
Shark Tank South Africa | M-Net |
|
Season 1, 2016 | |
Spain | Tu Oportunidad ("Your Opportunity") | TVE |
|
Season 1, 2013 |
Sweden | Draknästet[sv] ("The Dragons' Nest") | SVT (1–2, 4-)
TV8 (3) |
Current
Former
|
Season 1, 2009 Season 2, 2010 Season 3, 2014 Season 4, 2021 Season 5, 2022
Season 6, 2023 |
Switzerland | Die Höhle der Löwen Schweiz ("Lion's Den Switzerland") | TV24 (1–2)
3 Plus (3-) |
Current
Former
|
Season 1, 2019 Season 2, 2020 Season 3, 2021 Season 4, 2022 |
Thailand | Shark Tank Thailand | Channel 7 |
Current
Former
|
Season 1, 2019 Season 2, 2020 Season 3, 2022 |
Trinidad and Tobago | Planting Seeds | CNC3 |
|
Season 1, 2016 Season 2, 2017 Season 3, 2018 Season 4, 2019 |
Turkey | Dragons' Den Türkiye | Bloomberg HT |
|
Season 1, 2010 |
Ukraine | Акули бізнесу (Akuly biznesu, "Business Sharks") | ICTV | N/A | Season 1, N/A |
United Kingdom | Dragon's Den | BBC Two (1–17)
BBC One (18-) |
Current
Former
|
Season 1, 2005 Season 2, 2005 Season 3, 2006 Season 4, 2007 Season 5, 2007 Season 6, 2008 Season 7, 2009 Season 8, 2010 Season 9, 2011 Season 10, 2012 Season 11, 2013 Season 12, 2014 Season 13, 2015 Season 14, 2016 Season 15, 2017 Season 16, 2018 Season 17, 2019 Season 18, 2021 Season 19, 2022 |
United States | Shark Tank | ABC |
Current
Former
|
Season 1, 2009 Season 2, 2011 Season 3, 2012 Season 4, 2012 Season 5, 2013 Season 6, 2014 Season 7, 2015 Season 8, 2016 Season 9, 2017 Season 10, 2018 Season 11, 2019 Season 12, 2020 Season 13, 2021 Season 14, 2022 Season 15, 2023 |
Vietnam | Khởi nghiệp | VTV3 | N/A | 2005–2006 |
Shark Tank Vietnam – Thương vụ bạc tỷ[vi] | VTV3 | N/A | Season 1, 2017 Season 2, 2018 Season 3, 2019 Season 4, 2020 Season 5, 2022 Season 6, 2023 | |
See also
References
- Tanaka, Yuki (1 September 2008). "Last Words of the Tiger of Malaya, General Yamashita Tomoyuki". JapanFocus. Archived from the original on 16 October 2013.
External links
- Official "Money no Tora" site (WebArchive)
- Dragons' Den at BBC Online
- Den D (official Czech Republic website)
- Dragons' Den (official Polish website)
- Dragons' Den (RTÉ's official Irish website)
- "Manê no tora" (2001) at IMDb
- "Dragons' Den" (2004) at IMDb
- "Dragons' Den" (2005) at IMDb
- "Dragons' Den" (2006) at IMDb