7Analytics: Understanding tomorrow’s flood risk

By Thea Johansen | Photos: 7Analytics

A flooded basement, a damaged warehouse, a road washed away after heavy rainfall. Across the world, extreme weather events are becoming more frequent, creating new challenges for communities, businesses, insurers, and property owners. The question is no longer whether climate risk exist, but how accurately it can be understood before disaster strikes. For 7Analytics, that challenge is at the heart of everything they do.

Founded in 2020 by four geologists with backgrounds in the oil and gas industry, the company specialises in flood-risk modelling. What began as a local venture in Bergen, Europe’s rain capital, has grown into an international business with offices in Norway, Denmark, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Today, 7Analytics works with insurers, banks, asset owners, and organisations seeking a better understanding of climate-related risk. “Flood risk affects entire value chains,” says co-founder Jonas Aas Torland.

Co-founder Jonas Aas Torland. Photo: Instech events

The company’s expertise lies in understanding something deceptively simple: where water will go when heavy rain falls. Rather than assessing flood risk across broad geographical zones, 7Analytics evaluates individual buildings. With a multidisciplinary team of geologists, hydrologists, and data engineers, the company combines historical insurance records, geodata, terrain analysis, and machine learning and AI to estimate how water is likely to move through a landscape and what that means for a specific property during extreme weather events.

“Imagine standing at the window of a building, taking in the surroundings,” says Torland. “Our models will see that image and much more. We analyse the terrain around it, where water will flow, what the surface consists of, potential barriers, and what has happened to similar locations during previous weather events.”

7Analytics: Understanding tomorrow’s flood risk

Tackling a growing challenge

That level of detail has become increasingly important. While flooding is often associated with overflowing rivers, a significant share of weather-related damage comes from surface water flooding caused by intense rainfall. As cities become more densely developed, with more hard surfaces and fewer natural drainage areas, and as extreme weather becomes more frequent, the challenge continues to grow.

One of 7Analytics’ defining features is its focus on data quality. While traditional flood models often rely on broader terrain grids, the company’s models operate at a much higher resolution, incorporating detailed terrain and land-use data that is continuously updated to reflect changing environments.

In urban areas, small details can prove decisive. Kerbs, pavements, minor depressions in the terrain, and other seemingly insignificant features can determine whether water flows safely away or accumulates around a building. “Small details make all the difference,” says Torland.

The company combines detailed terrain data with historical damage records and machine learning to identify patterns across large datasets. This makes it possible to predict flood exposure at building level and estimate how much water may accumulate around a property during extreme rainfall.

For customers, the applications are wide-ranging. Insurance companies use the data to assess risk, price policies, and provide early warnings. Banks use it to better understand climate-related risks within their portfolios, while asset owners and businesses use the insights to protect sites, plan operations, and improve resilience.

The technology is also being applied internationally. In the United States, 7Analytics delivers real-time flood warnings to organisations including hospitals, energy companies, and large property owners, helping them prepare before an event unfolds.

Panel discussion @ Instech events.

From Bergen to the world

Although the company now operates internationally, its foundations remain firmly rooted in Norway. “Rain is in our DNA,” says Torland.

With more than two metres of precipitation a year, Bergen is often referred to as the rain capital of Europe and the birthplace of modern weather science – a legacy that continues today through companies such as StormGeo, a key partner to 7Analytics. Yet, according to Torland, Norway’s greatest advantage lies in something even broader: its extraordinary geographical diversity. Within a relatively small country, the landscape shifts from steep mountains and deep fjords to rivers, valleys, coastal areas, urban environments, and flatter inland terrain – offering a unique foundation for understanding how water behaves across different environments.

The company’s models were originally developed using Norwegian terrain and geodata, creating a foundation that has proven valuable internationally. “One of the most rewarding discoveries has been seeing how transferable they are to other countries,” says Torland.

7Analytics: Understanding tomorrow’s flood risk

Understanding tomorrow

As climate change continues to reshape weather patterns, the need for accurate flood-risk information is only expected to increase. Five years ago, few organisations had access to this type of data. Today, insurers, banks, property owners, and public authorities are increasingly incorporating physical climate risk into their decision-making.

Looking ahead, 7Analytics aims to expand its modelling capabilities and support more organisations in adapting to an increasingly uncertain climate. The ambition is not only to understand tomorrow’s risks, but to help society prepare for them.

For the company, this ambition is captured in a single phrase: “Exploring future landscapes – understanding tomorrow.” The world is getting wetter. The storms are getting wilder. And the gap between those who know where the water will go — and those who don’t — is becoming one of the most consequential divides in modern risk management.