Nanshan's economy is driven by a robust mix of established and emerging high-tech sectors. Strategic emerging industries contribute 60% of its GDP, which surpassed 1 trillion yuan (approximately US$140 billion) as of 2025.

Software & Internet: As the district's cornerstone industry, it generated over 900 billion yuan in revenue in 2025. Nanshan is home to six of China's top 100 software firms and seven of its top 100 internet companies.

Artificial Intelligence (AI): The district hosts over 1,300 AI enterprises above a designated size, with a target to exceed 70 billion yuan in added value for the AI industry by 2030.

Robotics: The "Robotics Valley" — an innovation corridor in northern Nanshan — has organically formed along Liuxian Avenue, nestled between the Yangtai and Tanglang mountains. It is home to over 20 robotics firms and more than 200 supply-chain companies, including industry leaders like DJI and UBTECH.

Low-Altitude Economy: This emerging sector has rapidly grown to a scale of over 80 billion yuan.

Electronic Information Manufacturing: With giants like ZTE and OPPO, this industry's annual added value reached 105.37 billion yuan.

Biomedicine: In 2025, the added value of the pharmaceutical and health industry in Nanshan reached 17.64 billion yuan, up by 1.6% year-on-year. The district houses 147 key biomedical enterprises and 415 key medical device enterprises.

Semiconductors & IC: Nanshan serves as a core hub for Shenzhen's semiconductor and integrated circuit (IC) industry — one of the city's 14 strategic emerging industry clusters.

The district is home to 248 IC enterprises, accounting for over 30% of Shenzhen's key players in the field, with a strategic focus on IC design, high-end equipment, critical materials, and advanced packaging and testing. Key industrial clusters are spread across the Liuxiandong area, the Shenzhen High‑tech Park area by Shenzhen Bay, and the Shenzhen Intelligent Park (Zhiyuan) in the Xili Lake area.

In addition, Nanshan is actively positioning itself in future-oriented sectors, including new energy, high‑performance materials, intelligent connected vehicles, and high‑end medical devices.

In the "15th Five‑Year Plan" (2026–2030) period, the district aims to grow its GDP to 1.4 trillion yuan by 2030, with AI positioned as the key driver for innovation.