What does a kick-off conference really mean? I sometimes find that a conference is named with an adjective as kick-off. e.g. kick-off conference. What does it actually mean? Does it mean the final conference?
It's the first conference in a series, or the conference that launches a project, or some other kind of start to something.

Definition from Google:


  noun: kick-off
  
  a start of an event or activity.
  
  synonyms: beginning, start, commencement, launch, outset, opening
  "breakfast on the boat was a great kickoff to the weekend"


Example of usage in the context of a conference (emphasis mine):


  On September 2-4 2015, the FIRES project was officially launched with the kick off meeting and conference organized in Berlin, in the Science and Technology Park in Adlershof.