Bjørn Ihler has established Revontulet, a technology company specializing in identifying terror and other serious threats, in Halden, Norway, near the Swedish border. Ihler, who survived the 2011 Utøya mass shooting, aims to leverage the region’s technological capabilities to combat extremism.
The company, founded in the United States in 2022, focuses on mapping global crises and their most obscure corners, according to a report in the Halden Arbeiderblad. Ihler’s personal experience with terrorism serves as a primary motivation for his function, seeking to prevent similar tragedies.
Revontulet already counts two of the world’s largest social media companies as clients, providing risk analyses, including for the city of Malmö, Sweden, during the 2024 Eurovision Song Contest. Ihler’s expertise extends to understanding the dynamics of terrorist networks, both online and in physical spaces, and he advocates for comprehensive, cross-sectoral approaches to counter-terrorism.
Ihler is internationally recognized as an expert in terror counteraction and radicalization prevention. He currently chairs the Global Internet Forum to Counter Terrorism’s Independent Advisory Committee, and co-founded the Khalifa Ihler Institute. He was also a founding member of the Extremely Together project through the Kofi Annan Foundation.
In 2011, Ihler was present on Utøya during the attack by Anders Behring Breivik, assisting in the evacuation of two young boys, aged eight and nine, during the escape. He has since written editorials for publications like The Guardian and Huffington Post on the subject of terrorism, and has spoken at the Oslo Freedom Forum about his experiences and work.
Ihler has engaged with numerous former members of extremist groups, leading a BBC profile to note his “unusual and unenviable record of meeting more reformed extremists than anyone else.” He has publicly stated his belief that Breivik should be treated humanely within the Norwegian prison system, arguing that denying Breivik basic human rights would mirror the perpetrator’s own disregard for them.
Ihler’s move to Halden is intended to foster competence and a strong professional environment within the city. He highlighted the existing solid technology environment as a key factor in his decision to locate Revontulet there. He is a member of Halden Næringsutvikling (HNU).
