It's hard to justify short term improvements in technology over reducing the suffering of the sick, poor, and hungry, but this may be mitigated by technological game changers that save industries huge amounts of money and can lead to a greater amount of funds that can later be given to those in need.

It's a tough argument to make for many technologies, but I believe the most underrated people in terms of relative value to society are the ones that build platforms that allow visionaries to achieve great things. And something like affordable hologram (or the mysterious project Johann is working on in @ericvancewalton novel) could make business meetings essentially free and instantaneous could provide access to brilliant minds living in 3rd world countries who wouldn't have had a chance to succeed otherwise. Expediting the ability of people in certain areas to contribute to innovation can lead to exponential growth rather than incremental or linear.