Without a commercially viable antimicrobial market, many small, start-up biotech companies often struggle to find the financing to overcome the pre-clinical stages of development known as the “valley of death,” where many projects are abandoned due to lack of funding. Even among those that surpass this hurdle and make it into clinical testing, many struggle to find financing or broker acquisition by a larger pharmaceutical company in order to bring a drug to market. A unique biopharmaceutical ecosystem has evolved to address these challenges. Policy reforms are needed to ensure a sustainable market for antimicrobials once they are approved.