As a model city of the InnovationCity Ruhr, Bottrop has transformed itself from a coal and steel industry location to a modern business location. The economic structure of Bottrop is characterized by a future-orientated and employment-securing diverse and broad mix of industries with numerous small and medium-sized enterprises which include many financially sound and often family- run companies. Trade and services are now the most important businesses. In addition to the traditional mining industry the growing environmental technology, the mechanical engineering and the food and beverage sectors are an emerging industrial sector. Due to the very good traffic connections, logistics centers have settled here.

The process “Zukunftsstandort Bottrop” was initiated in 2008 with the decision of the Economic Development Committee, which defined for instance the leisure industry and trade / city center as fields of action for sustainable economic development. In recent years, a large number of measures and projects of this plan have been addressed and implemented. In 2010, the city of Bottrop won the “InnovationCity Ruhr” competition. As part of this process, the city pursues the goal of measurably reducing C02 emissions and noticeably improving the quality of life in the living and working environment. Since then, the city of Bottrop has become a model city for a climate-friendly urban redevelopment, giving itself a nationally and internationally respected profile as a “modern energy site” with the aim to ensure ecological as well as social and economic sustainability. These goals are also reflected in the Vision 2030+ of the city of Bottrop.

The city of Bottrop was also able to establish itself as a center of education and innovation in the region by setting up a secondary location of the Ruhr West University of Applied Sciences with its focus on energy and information technology.