Every Dragons’ Den Version in the World (2026 Atlas)

Last updated 8 July 2026. This is a living page, refreshed as the franchise adds new international versions.

As of 2026, the show you know as Dragons' Den runs in around 50 countries, and every one of those versions descends from a single Japanese programme. In the UK, Canada and Ireland it is called Dragons' Den. In the United States, Australia and India it airs as Shark Tank. In Germany it is Die Hoehle der Loewen, The Lion's Den. Same format, same premise, different names and different investors in the chairs.

The idea never changes. Founders walk into a room, pitch a panel of wealthy investors, and try to trade a slice of equity for a cheque. What changes from country to country is the branding, the personalities, and the size of the deals. Here is the full atlas of where the format lives, who runs it, and how the pieces fit together.

What was the original version of Dragons' Den?

The format began in Japan in 2001 as Manee no Tora, which translates as Money Tigers, or Tigers of Money. It aired on Nippon TV, and the wealthy investors on the panel were called tigers rather than dragons or sharks. The Japanese title was a pun on the wartime nickname Tiger of Malaya. Aspiring entrepreneurs presented their ideas to the tigers, who could fund them in exchange for equity, and founders who failed to close a deal were often praised on air for their courage. The original ran for only a few years and ended around 2004.

The format is created and owned by Nippon TV and distributed worldwide by Sony Pictures Television. That single Japanese show is the common ancestor of every Dragons' Den and every Shark Tank on air today, which is why the two feel identical the moment you watch them side by side.

Is Dragons' Den the same show as Shark Tank?

Yes. They are the same licensed format under two different names. The first version outside Japan was Britain's Dragons' Den, which launched on BBC Two in 2005 and named its investors dragons. When Israel adapted the format in 2006, its producers called the show HaKrishim, meaning The Sharks, the first version anywhere to use the shark label. The United States borrowed that idea in 2009 and branded its version Shark Tank.

So the naming split is mostly historical. Countries that took the format early, like Britain, Canada and Ireland, tend to keep the Dragons' Den name. Countries that adapted it after the American launch, like Australia, India and Mexico, usually run under the Shark Tank banner. Germany went its own way with The Lion's Den.

Which countries have their own version?

Local versions have been produced in more than 40 countries, plus a pan-Arab edition, and in some markets more than one version has aired over the years. These are the most notable adaptations, with the network, the years, and a signature investor for each.

Japan. Manee no Tora (Money Tigers), Nippon TV, launched 2001 and ended around 2004. The original format, now off the air.

United Kingdom. Dragons' Den, BBC, 2005 to present. Peter Jones has appeared in every series since it began.

Canada. Dragons' Den, CBC, 2006 to present. Arlene Dickinson is the long-running face of the panel, and the early cast included Kevin O'Leary and Robert Herjavec, who both later joined the American Shark Tank.

United States. Shark Tank, ABC, 2009 to present. Mark Cuban was the best-known shark from 2011 through the show's 16th season.

Germany. Die Hoehle der Loewen (The Lion's Den), VOX, 2014 to present. Investors have included Frank Thelen, Carsten Maschmeyer and Judith Williams.

Australia. Shark Tank, Network 10, first aired in 2015, ran through 2018, then returned in 2023 and 2024. The original panel featured Janine Allis of Boost Juice and Naomi Simson of RedBalloon.

India. Shark Tank India, Sony Entertainment Television, 2021 to present. Anupam Mittal of Shaadi.com has sat on every season, alongside Aman Gupta of boAt and Namita Thapar.

Ireland. Dragons' Den, RTE One, 2009 to 2017, ended after eight series.

Which version made the biggest company?

In Britain, the standout success came early. In 2007, Levi Roots walked into the Den, sang a jingle, and persuaded Peter Jones and Richard Farleigh to put in 50,000 pounds for 40 percent of Reggae Reggae Sauce. Within weeks the sauce was in Sainsbury's, and in its first fortnight on shelves it was reportedly outselling Heinz tomato ketchup. Roots has since been valued at around 30 million pounds on the Sunday Times Rich List, and Peter Jones has called it one of his best investments from the show.

Across the wider format, the American Shark Tank has produced the largest breakout companies by revenue, while the British Den has its own roll call of household names, from Reggae Reggae Sauce to the Tangle Teezer hairbrush, which was famously turned down and went on to sell worldwide anyway. The lesson repeats in every country: the exposure matters as much as the cheque.

Which version can you stream in the UK?

In the UK, the home-grown Dragons' Den is the one to watch, and full series stream on BBC iPlayer, with new episodes airing on BBC One. It is the same format as Shark Tank, so if you like one you will like the other. Shark Tank India, which has become a genuine cultural event since 2021, is the version that most resembles the British show's mix of real businesses and big personalities.

The through line across all of them is remarkable. A pitch format invented for Japanese television in 2001 has become one of the most successful entertainment exports in the world, teaching millions of people how a business gets valued, one short pitch at a time.

Common questions

How many versions of Dragons' Den are there? Local versions have been made in more than 40 countries, and the owners counted roughly 50 official adaptations, with Bangladesh announced as the 50th in February 2024.

Who owns the Dragons' Den format? It is created and owned by Nippon TV of Japan and distributed internationally by Sony Pictures Television.

Which came first, Dragons' Den or Shark Tank? Britain's Dragons' Den launched in 2005, four years before the American Shark Tank arrived in 2009. Both trace back to Japan's Money Tigers from 2001.

Why are the investors called different things? It comes down to the name each country adopted. Dragons in the UK and Canada, sharks in the US, Australia and India, and lions in Germany, all pitching the same format.