Philip Cutler and Roberto Cipriani, both McGill graduates, started GradeSlam in Montreal in 2014. Students messaged a tutor in a chat window, without travel or appointments. The company later became Paper.
In 2020 Paper ranked 21st among Canada's fastest-growing companies. By June 2021 it had over 1 million students, 1,000 tutors and 130 staff, helped by pandemic relief funding to US school districts.
It bought Figure Math in 2022, then MajorClarity and Readlee in 2023. Total funding reached US$389.6 million by 2023.
In 2023 pandemic funding fell and revenue and bookings fell short. New Mexico cancelled its contract, and layoffs included 45% of headquarters staff.