Aggregator partners with non-bank lending specialist on a residential range spanning Lite Doc, trust and bridging loans
Mortgage aggregator Connective is expanding its white-label lending portfolio with Connective Athena, a residential range built with non-bank lender Athena.
When it launches on 28 September, it will give the aggregator's brokers new options for borrowing power, self-employed, trust and bridging scenarios.
The proposition sits within Connective Lending, the aggregator's white label arm. Since launching in July 2015, Connective Lending has funded more than $40 billion in loans for members' clients. Connective brokers will be accredited automatically ahead of launch.
Michael Goerner (pictured), head of Connective Lending, said the range was designed to broaden what members could offer clients.
"Connective Athena adds more options for clients who need greater borrowing power, have more complex income or structures, need to move quickly or want greater flexibility," Goerner said. "The more client needs our members can support, the more opportunity they have to retain relationships and build stronger businesses."
What the range offers brokers
At launch, the range includes four options:
- Prime Max: lending up to 85% loan-to-value ratio (LVR) without lender's mortgage insurance (LMI)
- Lite Doc: loans for self-employed borrowers
- Company and trust lending: loans for eligible non-trading company and trust borrowers
- Bridging finance
Policy settings include a 2% servicing buffer. Athena will also accept up to 95% of rental income in eligible scenarios and treat bonus and overtime income flexibly.
"Having greater breadth means brokers can stay with clients as their circumstances change, rather than solving for a single transaction," Goerner said.
Nathan Walsh, chief executive and co-founder of Athena, said the product was shaped by broker feedback.
"We built Connective Athena around real conversations with brokers about the scenarios they're solving for every day, not around what was easiest for us to build. The result is product, policy and experience designed to help brokers win more clients and keep them for longer," Walsh said.
Broker support and technology
Brokers will have several support channels:
- state-based Athena business development managers
- Connective Lending managers
- scenario support
- the Athena Broker Portal
- Charley, Connective Lending's AI-powered product and policy assistant
A Bridging Modeller will help brokers plan property moves with clients. A post-settlement app keeps the broker's profile, contact details and a referral function in front of borrowers.
The launch continues the portfolio growth that followed Connective's rebrand of its white label division as Connective Lending.
At the time of that rebrand, the division reported $2.6 billion in settlements for the six months to June 30, 2025, up 18% on the prior year.
Connective previously moved into the bridging space with the Connective Bridge white label bridging loan built with Bridgit.
