Nanshan has built a modern industrial system driven by a "dual high‑end" strategy. The secondary and tertiary industries maintain a 30:70 split.

The district's pillar industries are led by software and internet services, which generated over 900 billion yuan in revenue in 2025. Other major sectors include artificial intelligence, robotics, semiconductors, the low‑altitude economy (exceeding 80 billion yuan), computer and telecommunications equipment, and electrical machinery.

Nanshan is home to a dense and vibrant innovation ecosystem. 

As of the end of 2025:

Some 637,000 business entities are registered in the district.

Among them, over 6,000 are national‑level high‑tech enterprises, 394 are national‑level "Little Giant" (specialized and sophisticated) enterprises, and 225 companies are listed on domestic and overseas stock exchanges.

The district incubates 199 AI startups at Model Camp, the Greater Bay Area's first vertical incubator focused on large models, and hosts over 200 robotics companies clustered in the "Robot Valley."

Nanshan is also home to tech giants such as Tencent, DJI, and ZTE, alongside a thriving ecosystem of SMEs that form a "tropical rainforest" of innovation.

Nanshan is a powerhouse of innovation and intellectual property:

PCT international patent applications: approximately 4,100 in 2025, accounting for roughly one‑fourteenth of China's total

Domestic patent grants: approximately 44,500 in 2025

Invention patent grants: approximately 23,400

Cumulative valid invention patents: approximately 160,900

Patents per 10,000 people: 873, roughly 23 times the national average

Trademark applications: approximately 66,700 in 2025

Nanshan's commitment to innovation is reflected in its substantial R&D spending:

R&D intensity reached 7.87% of GDP in 2025, nearly three times the national average

The district has established a 100% loss tolerance policy for its strategic direct investment seed fund and angel fund, encouraging bold innovation.