Part 2/10:
The concept of entrepreneurs presenting their ideas for funding isn’t new; it originated over a decade earlier in Japan with Sony Entertainment's "Tigers of Money." This show emphasized real investment and real conversations, which set a precedent for the format that Shark Tank would later adopt. The American adaptation, aired by ABC beginning in 2009, embraced the cultural significance of entrepreneurship in the U.S. amid a backdrop of economic struggle. Many Americans had lost jobs during the recession, fueling viewers’ interest in the possibilities that entrepreneurship could offer.