The first season featured the founding panel of investors who used their own money to fund deals:
In 2009, Shark Tank premiered as a risky experiment during the Great Recession, introducing a format where desperate entrepreneurs pitched to five self-made millionaires . The inaugural season was defined by raw, high-stakes negotiations and a darker, more somber tone than the high-energy production fans know today. The Original Sharks Shark Tank - Season 1
: The tech security entrepreneur who often balanced O'Leary's harshness. The first season featured the founding panel of