DRAGONS' DEN / SHARK TANK FRANCHISE HITS LANDMARK GLOBAL MILESTONE WITH 50th VERSION

Bangladesh set to become the 50th territory to bring the worldwide hit format to viewers in 2024.
Format already set to launch in further territories.

[London, UK - 29th February 2024] Nippon TV and Sony Pictures Television (SPT) have today announced that the hit entrepreneurial format known around the world under titles including ‘Dragons' Den', ‘Shark Tank', and ‘Lions' Den' will officially launch its landmark 50th version later this year in Bangladesh. This makes the title the world's number one adapted business reality television show, in terms of the number of territories launched. The Bangladesh version begins on Bongo and Deepto TV this Spring.

Since launching in 2001 as ‘Money Tigers' on Nippon TV in Japan, the format has become a phenomenal worldwide success. Produced in territories on every continent, the format sees aspiring entrepreneurs pitch to secure investment from some of the top names in the business world.

Almost $1bn (US) in investments has been agreed in Dens and Tanks across the globe since the format launched, and around 300 titans of industry in all have sat on judging panels as the Dragons, Sharks, and Lions, appraising the pitches from the small businesses, startups, and entrepreneurs of tomorrow.

The evergreen format came to the UK in 2005 on the BBC and is currently in its record-breaking 21st series. It launched in America on ABC in 2009 where season 15 is currently airing, and it continues to enjoy huge success worldwide including across Latin America with new seasons of Shark Tank Mexico and Brazil recently announced. In 2020 SPT announced that the format was launching its 40th version when it premiered in France, and it has since gone on to launch in Morocco, Georgia, India, Malta, Egypt, Greece and Cyprus, Slovakia, Dubai, and now Bangladesh.

SPT has licensed the format to enter production in further new territories including Pakistan and Nepal, as well as a brand-new English-language version of the format in Dubai.

Tom Miyauchi, Head of Formats, Nippon TV, says, “Embarking on a global journey that began with the ferocious success of Tiger in Japan, from the mystical Dragon in some regions to the powerful Shark and even the majestic Lion in others, our entrepreneurial spirit has evolved into a truly global phenomenon across more than 50 territories worldwide. We are rewriting the story of innovation, resilience, and the undeniable power of the entrepreneurship through prime-time entertainment and partnerships with Sony Pictures Television, all licensees and networks involved across the globe. Join us as we celebrate this extraordinary journey, where every territory becomes a stage for the world's boldest ideas to take flight.”

Laura St. Clair, VP International Formats, Sony Pictures Television, says “To see this franchise accelerate across another ten territory launches in just four years to cross this major global milestone is fantastic. It is a testament to the true universality of the format that each of these 50 versions have been uniquely tailored to and reflective of their territory, but are instantly recognisable the world over. Following the incredibly strong recent launches in countries including India, we are very excited to bring Shark Tank to Bangladesh this year, and look forward to working with partners in Pakistan, and many further territories, with some new and very exciting plans for the format to be announced soon”.

In 2021 the series launched on SET and SonyLiv in India to phenomenal success, garnering upward of 75 million viewers on linear alone, with 78,000 applications to appear on the show's second run. The show, which had a 36-episode run in its first series, upped to 50 for the second and is stripped across 5 days a week, saw nearly 200 entrepreneurs pitch to the Sharks of India through the first season. According to The Economist, the series has been widely credited with changing attitudes towards business and entrepreneurship within India: The show's [first season] 36 episode run, wrote the Hindustan Times, shifted the topic of dinner conversations throughout the vast country from cricket to business plans.¹

This benchmark success in India has supercharged the popularity of the franchise across the continent. With future productions planned in Pakistan and Nepal, and Bangladesh currently in production filming the 50th version of the format.

Ahad Bhai, CEO/Co-Founder, Bongo, Producer, Shark Tank Bangladesh, says “Bangladesh is a land of dynamic entrepreneurs full of grit and determination, but lacks the infrastructure and platforms to support young individuals and businesses as they grow. It is such an honor to have the opportunity to bring a global platform like Shark Tank to our country. Shark Tank has been my favorite show for many years, and to be a part of this global movement, to help contribute to improving lives and empower entrepreneurs, truly is a dream come true.

Being the 50th edition of Shark Tank is very special. We are doing our best to make Shark Tank Bangladesh on par with the global standard as an entertainment platform, and also to help change lives, one business at a time.”

Dragons' Den is distributed around the world by SPT under a number of variant titles, from Shark Tank (including in the United States, Mexico, Colombia, Brazil and Vietnam); to Lions' Den (Germany, Denmark, Kenya); and Dragons' Den (including in the United Kingdom - where it became the No.1 Factual Entertainment series on BBC Two and was promoted to air on the flagship BBC One in 2021). In France they put business to the fore, where it airs under the title which candidates will finish their pitches with: ‘Qui Veut Etre Mon Associé?' - Who Wants To Be My Partner?

The SPT format has won over 40 awards globally.  In the United States, Shark Tank has won the Emmy for Outstanding Structured Reality Program for four years running, while in Canada, Dragons' Den took home four Canadian Screen Awards for Best Reality Series.  The German version of the show, Die Höhle der Löwen, also won the German Chamber of Industry and Commerce's Ernst-Schneider Award for Innovation and Entertainment in 2015, the German Television Awards in 2016 for Best Factual Entertainment and continues to break viewing ratings for VOX. In the United Kingdom, Dragons' Den won four Royal Television Society Awards as Best Factual Entertainment Series.

About Sony Pictures Television
Sony Pictures Television (SPT) is one of the television industry's leading content providers, producing, distributing and carrying programming worldwide in every genre and for every platform. In addition to managing one of the industry's largest libraries of award-winning feature films, television shows and formats, SPT is home to a thriving global content business, operating a robust portfolio of wholly-owned and joint-venture production companies across the U.S., Europe, Latin America, and Asia Pacific, as well as linear and digital channels around the world. SPT is a Sony Pictures Entertainment Company, a subsidiary of Tokyo-based Sony Group Corporation.

About Nippon TV
Nippon TV is Japan's leading multiplatform entertainment powerhouse and ratings champion broadcaster, as well as owner of streaming giant Hulu in Japan. Over 90% of its content IP is fully owned by Nippon TV and the company has been active in bringing its content to the international market in the form of anime, ready-made programs, formats, and through co-production partnerships. One of the biggest successes for the nation's finest producer of all genres of programming is the Emmy Award-winning Dragons' Den/Shark Tank, a globally successful business show format that has 50 versions in more than 180 countries across all continents of the world. Additionally, their hit drama series Mother has also achieved global success as the most exported scripted format out of Asia, with its format sales to South Korea, Turkey, Ukraine, France, Thailand, China, Indonesia, Spain, Mongolia and more.

The company is also known for its viewer-engaging show Old Enough!, streaming on Netflix in over 190 countries and adapted in Canada, BLOCK OUT, an action-packed game show format that has been adapted in Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam, Spain, and the Netherlands, the award-winning unscripted format Mute it!, and Sokkuri Sweets, both produced in the Netherlands, and Sokkuri Sweets/Eye Candy on The Roku Channel in the US, UK, and Canada. Nippon TV has recently acquired Studio Ghibli, making the Academy Award-winning animation studio its subsidiary.

https://www.ntv.co.jp/english
https://www.linkedin.com/company/nippon-tv

¹ https://www.economist.com/business/2022/03/26/what-shark-tank-says-about-indian-capitalism