How can a startup ensure code ownership and avoid vendor lock-in with a remote team?

Keep the keys: your Git repositories, cloud accounts, domains, CI/CD, and documentation should be managed by your company, not a vendor. Incorporate “handover-ready” work into the process—such as documents, runbooks, and maintaining a clean PR history. Staff augmentation or outstaffing is beneficial because developers work within your tools, ensuring that knowledge and code ownership remain with you.