Abstract
Before Dragons’ Den in the UK became a global hit and America’s Shark Tank turned startup pitches into mainstream entertainment, there was Manē no Tora (Tiger of Money or Money Tigers). Launched in Japan in 2001 by Nippon TV and Sony Pictures Television, this groundbreaking show introduced the format of entrepreneurs pitching their business ideas to a panel of angel investors.
Little did anyone know that Money Tigers would spark a global trend, influencing how high-growth entrepreneurship is perceived and celebrated around the world. In February 2024, the original backers announced that the 50th version of the franchise would launch in Bangladesh.
Money Tigers wasn’t just about creating riveting television. Its emergence was rooted in a broader societal and governmental push to transform Japan’s economic culture. Against the backdrop of a traditionally risk-averse society and an economy dominated by large corporations, Money Tigers aimed to normalise and even glamorise entrepreneurship.
It was accompanied by a wider set of government initiatives to foster innovation, boost entrepreneurial activity, and position Japan as a global leader in technology and startups. The show was part of the rise of what my colleague Ramon Pacheco Pardo and I call “startup capitalism”, an age in which startups have played a central role in the competitiveness of market economies.
Little did anyone know that Money Tigers would spark a global trend, influencing how high-growth entrepreneurship is perceived and celebrated around the world. In February 2024, the original backers announced that the 50th version of the franchise would launch in Bangladesh.
Money Tigers wasn’t just about creating riveting television. Its emergence was rooted in a broader societal and governmental push to transform Japan’s economic culture. Against the backdrop of a traditionally risk-averse society and an economy dominated by large corporations, Money Tigers aimed to normalise and even glamorise entrepreneurship.
It was accompanied by a wider set of government initiatives to foster innovation, boost entrepreneurial activity, and position Japan as a global leader in technology and startups. The show was part of the rise of what my colleague Ramon Pacheco Pardo and I call “startup capitalism”, an age in which startups have played a central role in the competitiveness of market economies.
Original language | English |
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Specialist publication | The Conversation |
Publication status | Published - 2 Jan 2025 |
Keywords
- Dragon's Den
- Shark Tank
- Entrepreneurship
- Television
- JAPAN